The West Australian Franchising Bill originally tabled by Liberal Peter Abetz and recently rejected by one Liberal vote has now taken new shape and been re-introduced to Parliament by Labor member Ljiljanna Ravlich.

Last week the South Australian Small Business Commissioner Bill passed through the Lower House. The genius in this Bill comes from redrafting of another Bill to increase positive impact to greater stakeholder and gain that stakeholder support.

If you are a franchisee in South Australia, you will celebrate a first for Australia. The state has introduced the Small Business Commissioner Bill 2011, which will ensure broad powers to enhance protection of franchisees by stipulating that dealings are conducted fairly and in good faith.

A foolish claim made earlier this week by Franchise Council of Australia that the Shopping Centre Council of Australia might be ready for a voluntary Code of Conduct on retail tenancies was meant to gain some much needed credibility but it backfired.

"Mum-and-dad investors need protection and we need to offer it. We are not going to stand by, waiting for the Commonwealth to step into this space." Following yesterday’s release of the South Australian Economic and Finance Committee’s Supplementary Report into Franchising the Minister calls for State franchise legislation ‘within weeks’.

The outgoing head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is backing a dedicated franchise dispute resolution system acknowledging that the sector’s complexities warrant a different approach.

With the Committee to report back to the West Australian parliament on the state Franchising Bill 2010 the lead up to the 23 June deadline is expected to see intense lobbying from the Franchise Council of Australia and from Australian franchisees.

The Australian government is campaigning again for the small business vote. The federal Small Buiness Minister is calling for responses to a variation of the ACCC only this time dedicated to small business but still without any mention of franchising or real teeth.